Like anyone else, gamers are not immune to the sometimes crushing difficulties life can throw at them. While video games often offer people ways to put their minds at ease, illness, isolation, or career difficulties in real life seem like they are always waiting to pounce. In 2013, one gamer's troubles weighed him down so heavily that he thought about ending his own life. However, a last minute look through his Steam library turned into a renewed love for the world of The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, which ultimately saved his life. TW: This article contains discussion of suicidal thoughts and actions.
Reddit user zombieinferno recently posted about his struggles with depression from bipolar disorder for most of his life. In June of 2013 he found himself in a "deep cavern of despair" and attempted multiple times to commit suicide. But after one attempt, zombieinferno found himself wondering who he would leave his belongings to. He then found himself looking through his Steam library and came upon The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, a game he had played for hundreds of hours but never actually beaten.
This one moment turned into quest to beat the game, a quest zombieinferno decided he must complete before he ended his life. But as any Skyrim fan knows, doing just "one more quest" is next to impossible. Zombieinferno's focused goal of defeating Alduin soon turned into a journey of exploration completing one after another of Skyrim's many side quests and activities. Tamriel's deep and rewarding world kept him invested and his mind away from suicidal thoughts.
After many more hours of play, he finally did defeat Alduin. Instead of feeling like the end was near, he felt "a deep sense of satisfaction... I felt - happy." It was at this point that he started to think about all the things he would miss out on if he died, and he thought about all the ways music, films, or video games could give people joy. This lead to his decision to give life another chance.
Zombieinferno left the place where he almost died and returned to his family to start the difficult journey back toward health. That was eight years ago. He now says he has found love and hasn't had a serious depressive episode in nearly four years. Skyrim's rich open-world and endless discoveries offered him a sweet escapism that gave him the courage to battle his own monsters and win.
Although Skyrim offered the inspiration that zombieinferno needed, it's certainly not the only game that has changed lives. From the simplicity of match-three puzzle games to detail-filled worlds like Red Dead Redemption 2, video games can have the power to restore hope and heal broken people. It's important that gamers are there for one another, and zombieinferno has these words of encouragement for those who find themselves in the same spot he was years ago: "Find your dragon to vanquish. Find your reason to keep moving forward. Embrace the side-quests. Be your own hero."
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is available now on PC, PlayStation 4, Switch, and Xbox One.
Source: Reddit
